


Sanderson Mansnoozie

by Hobbyist_Writer



Series: Exception Verse [5]
Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 17:13:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6123826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hobbyist_Writer/pseuds/Hobbyist_Writer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Guardians of Childhood are used to their charges slowly losing belief in them as they grow older. BUT! Sometimes...sometimes there are exceptions. Sanderson Mansnoozie, more commonly known as the Sandman, has a bit of trouble with a dream whose recipient just won't go to sleep. What will he find when he goes to investigate?</p>
<p>Cross-posted from Fanfiction.net (under the title "Exception Verse, this would be Chapter 5).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sanderson Mansnoozie

His Nocturnal Magnificence, Sanderson Mansnoozie, Sandman the First, Lord High Protector of Sleep and Dreams, was annoyed. He had a whole world filled with children to give good dreams to but this particular dream couldn't find its destined child. _Someone_ was still awake when all the little children should be in bed! Sanderson gave an exaggerated sigh and decided to investigate.

The little golden man found the little one still wide awake, leading a young teenager on a merry chase through the house they were in.

The Sandman drifted closer. His rounds were nearly done that night anyway, and he just couldn't resist a tiny peek. The bright laughter of the little girl lightened his spirit and caused a gentle smile to form on his chubby face.

"Please! Please!" the little girl was saying, "Can we please play some more?"

And there. More laughter, not as bright as the younger girl's but filled with fondness and some indescribable warmth.

"To bed with you, child!" a soft, fond smile made the order sweeter somehow, "Go, lie down, and I shall tell a story to calm your restlessness."

"Oh yes, yes!"

"Then off to bed with you!"

A few minutes later found both girls on the child's bed, the younger warm under her covers and the elder curled beside her charge, and a little golden man floating near the bedroom's window, settling in for a story.

The older girl leaned closer, ready to whisper her story...

"Hush and listen, little one. Pay head to my tale, for now I speak of a magic man..."

Her voice shifted to the rolling timber of a seasoned storyteller, hypnotic almost. Her words sounding as if they came from some time long ago.

"He is all golden-yellow, from the ends of his hair to the tips of his toes. If stardust could take life again, he would be precisely that. Older than the oldest child, he is of the stars. Come down to earth to guard the dreams of little children."

"Oh, it's the Sandman, right?" the little girl interrupted eagerly, "That's who the story's about!"

"Yes, you impossible child!" the other girl said with mock exasperation, "Now, do you want a story or not?"

The little one mimed zipping her lips. The elder looked skeptical but she continued her story anyway. She wove a tale about a Giver of Dreams, who went on adventures all around the world. This story was about the hero's journey to a harsh, mysterious land where fat, satin-clothed kings ruled.

The younger girl's eyes began to close, her battle with sleep fast approached its conclusion. The story teller's voice got quieter. The story was near its end. Finally unable to help it, the little girl slumped over, fast asleep. The teenager smiled indulgently and reached over to tuck the little one in better, never once faltering in her story.

Sandy stayed, glad that the teen seemed to be inclined to finish the tale instead of stopping now that the child was asleep. He listened, an invisible audience of one, until the story was complete. He sighed, apparently the story was a series of stories in a much longer arc. Sandy wanted to hear about the hero's other adventures. There was so much new material for his dreams!

The story was over but Sandy was too lost in his own mind, imagining all the new dreams he could weave, and didn't realize what the teenager was up to. The window opened suddenly, startling the little golden man. The teenager leaned out of the open window and stared right at Sandy.

Sandy blinked then waved experimentally, unsure if the teen still believed...even though she told such stories. The girl smiled, then spoke, assuring Sandy that she was still a believer.

"You're the Sandman, right?"

Sandy nodded.

She gestured for him to enter, making room by the window, "You can come in now. She's asleep."

Sandy didn't enter the bedroom, instead he settled on the windowsill next to the teen still leaning out of it. He gathered the Dreamsand that was destined for the slumbering child within and sent it floating gently to circle above the little head.

The two of them, girl and spirit, watched as the little one's dream took shape. Tiny golden representations of the two girls frolicked over the head of the sleeping child, soon joined by another tiny figure...this one male. Sandy though at first that it was another playmate then realized that the figure was him! The little girl was dreaming of playing with the Sandman

"I hope you don't mind me telling stories about you." the teenager said, still watching the slumbering child. "The younger kids like it...plus it's one of the few stories that send them straight to sleep."

When Sandy didn't answer, the girl turned her head and looked at him. Sandy made a tiny sand version of the teen reading stories from a large book to a group of children, followed by a question mark.

"Sometimes," she said, surprisingly unperturbed by his muteness, "When they want a story book. Usually I just tell them stories, some I've memorized and change according to who's listening...others..." she trailed off.

Sandy gestured again, trying to ask what kind of stories she told. Somehow she understood.

"Depends really, sometimes fairytales or stories about Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny when their holidays are near. I tell Tooth Fairy stories when one of them loose a tooth. Older kids are interested in myths and legends, stories about the other spirits like the Seasonals. All kind of stories, really.

"Recently," she continued, "The 'in' thing is ghost or horror stories. They're really popular among the pre-teens and teenagers, so I tell those too."

'Why?' Sandy looked inquisitively at the girl and drew a question mark with his sand.

"These stories need to be told." she said seriously, "Children listen to stories better. It's easier to teach life lessons and morals or slip in warnings about real dangers through stories. And who better to tell them of the world unseen? I see it all and I want all children to see them too."

The Sandman couldn't believe it. This child who should be too old, who should be slowly letting go of belief in the Guardians and fairytales, was still holding on tightly...believed enough to see them...and, if Sandy's suspicions were right, could see other things too.

Wanting to confirm if his suspicions were true, Sandy made dozens of figures, one after the other, all out of his Dreamsand. He started with the more popular spirit world figures, those who had stories, but soon he was forming figures of all the denizens of the spirit world. Fairies and elves, dryads and nymphs, little leaf sprites and forest spirits and so many others. Her warm eyes filled with child-like delight when she recognized the figures.

Sandy learned that the lesser nature spirits seemed to prefer the forest that surrounded the little town. The teenager was clueless as to why but Sandy knew it was all because of her. The personal belief that she had and the belief she spread through her stories was like an enticing warmth to all those spirits, drawing them near and persuading them to stay. The spirits probably loved being near someone with such strong faith.

Sandy stayed longer than he probably should have. They would have stayed like that for hours and hours but the rest of the world interrupted. Just as the first of the dawn's light began to creep over the horizon, they heard the sound of a car pulling up on the driveway.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, stifling a yawn, "Mia's parents are here."

With an apologetic wave, she ran downstairs to meet the two adults. The Sandman floated to ground level and overheard the adults apologizing for taking longer than they said they needed. More conversation followed then the girl said good-bye and came out the door wearing a jacket and carrying a bag.

She glanced up at the window where she and the Sandman spent the night conversing in their own peculiar way, obviously looking for the little golden man. The teenager sighed when she didn't see him. Sandy waited for the teen to be some distance from the house before floating down behind her. He tapped her on the shoulder.

"Gah!" she spun around, startled. Her shock was instantly forgotten upon seeing Sandy. The Guardian was treated to another of her beaming grins.

Sandy called on his Dreamsand to speak for him; he told the teenager that he had to leave—that he had many more children to shape dreams for.

She nodded and said good bye.

Before he left, Sandy has one last request: Sand figures of the girl and other children formed between them, obviously in the middle of a story telling. Another figure joined the group, staying near the edges but obviously listening, a figure that was obviously a representation of the Sandman.

The girl blushed, knowing immediately what Sandy was asking.

"I'm not that good, you know." she said softly.

The images kept playing, the Sandman figure crept closer to the main group.

"...If you're sure..."

Sandy nodded enthusiastically.

She took a deep breath then nodded decisively, "Okay Mr. Sandman. If you're ever in the neighborhood, feel free to stop by."

Just then she fought back another yawn, the sleepless night was finally taking its toll on her. Sandy shooed her back to the path that led to the other houses, urging her to go home and rest.

"I'm going, I'm going!" she said, grinning sleepily.

Sandy formed a tiny golden ball and offered it to her.

"A dream?" she asked, "For me?"

Sandy nodded. He used the Dreamsand to form the shape of a pouch. Did the girl have one? She couldn't touch the sand—she'd fall asleep if she did. Thankfully, the teen had a small pouch that she temporarily emptied. Sandy tipped the golden dream ball into it and zipped the pouch shut.

"Thank you." she said, leaning down to plant a chaste kiss on his sandy cheek.

Sandy patted her cheek in return. She was such a sweet kid. But it was time for them to go their separate ways, so the Sandman formed a large cloud with his Dreamsand and swiftly rose into the air. The two new friends waved goodbye to each other and hoped that they would see each other again. And if Sandy waited for the girl to enter her house before continuing on his rounds, well...that was his own business.

~ o ~ o ~ o ~

" _Hey, Sandy!"_

_Jack Frost! Sanderson beamed happily at his fellow Guardian. It was always fun when Jack visited. They could bounce ideas for dreams around. Sandy bounced a little. None of the other guardians could touch his Dreamsand without falling asleep but Jack—Jack's touch caused shapes to form in the golden sand, shapes the Sandman didn't intend to make._

_They exchanged a few pleasantries but Jack was obviously excited about something. He was practically vibrating!_

"… _was at Tooth's…" Sandy realized that Jack was talking and probably wouldn't want to play until he finished, "…and I already asked North and Bunny but Tooth said that you saw her first!"_

_Her? Which her?_

" _The one! Her! She can see me, Sandy! And she made the other kids who couldn't see me, see me!"_

_Oh,_ that _her._

_Did he know her? Well, yes. In fact, Sandy just visited her and her daughter the other week._

_Jackson wanted to know when Sandy met the current exception? Well, of course he'd tell Jack all about it! He remembered like it was yesterday. Sandy made his Dreamsand cloud bigger and invited Jack to sit with him. Jack sat cross-legged on the cloud, his staff cradled in his arms, and looked expectantly at the Guardian of Dreams._

_Sandy made sure that the children's dreams were being dispersed properly then settled in to tell the story._

_The first time Sanderson met this particular exception, he was following a trail of Dreamsand that couldn't seem to find its destined dreamer…_

 

Fin...

 

...for now.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> I did say that the last chapter gave me the most difficulty. The idea for Sandy's chapter came early during the conceptualization process. In fact, I had this chapter planned out soon after I published North's. It just so happened that his chapter had to be last.
> 
> With the exception of Bunny's and Tooth's chapters, these meetings are arranged in reverse chronological order: 
> 
> Jack met her when she was a middle-aged family mom with an established daycare. North got caught when she was a new mom. Tooth delivered her history to our character when she was a newly-wed and had just opened the day-care. Bunny first ran into her when she was in her early twenties. Now we see her at her youngest, a teenager who should be on the cusp of forgetting the Guardians.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this latest installment in the Exception Verse.


End file.
